No one Knows
by storm-of-insanity
Summary: A disgraced prince and an honored monk stand at different ends of the city whilst the same thoughts cross their minds: 'Why doesn’t anyone understand them.'


I'm trying a completely different style of writing this time so forgive me if it goes horribly wrong.

Disclaimer - I don't own Avatar.

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A lone monk hugs his knees to his chest mourning the loss of one of his best friends and animal guide. He only has Momo now. Momo is all that is left of the air temple. Momo is the only thing he had left of home. He remembers what he promised Momo and Appa. "You, me and Momo, we're all that's left of this place now. We have to stick together." He failed them. Just like he failed the Air Nomads and Monk Gyatso one hundred years ago.

oxoxoxo

A banished prince slumps against a tree in defeat. His uncle's wound is getting worse and everyday his beloved relative deteriorates. His uncle pretends that everything is fine but the fugitive can see his weakness. He sees it when Uncle's hands trembles to hold a cup of tea or the way he clutches his arm unable to hide the pain every time they hit a bump in the road. It scares him. It scares him to think that his uncle, the pillar of strength, is growing weaker every passing moment. Uncle Iroh is all he has left of his family. He can't lose him. Just thinking about it hurts too much.

oxoxoxo

The monk feels anger every time he thinks about the sand benders who stole his friend. He has to fight to push away the rage. The fury tries to claim him and sometimes it succeeds driving the boy into insanity. The boy hates it when that happens. He looses a part of himself when he becomes possessed by the curse.

oxoxoxo

The fugitive sometimes finds himself engulfed by frustration. At times all he can see it red. In those times he can't control himself and his flames of rage burst from him like a vicious river bursting from a dam. He finds anything can set him off. A lot of people say he over reacts but he can't help it. Sometimes the flood of stress becomes too much for him to bear and his carefully built dam is destroyed.

oxoxoxo

Many think the monk's curse is a blessing. They cheer for him when he steps foot in towns and shower him with praise. They see him for what he is and except him to solve whatever problems the have. The boy can't bare it. He's only one kid. The pressure to please is too much. He's only human. He wishes he was just a regular kid and didn't have the weight of the world on his shoulders.

oxoxoxo

When people see the fugitive they welcome him with open arms. But that is only because they are seeing what they want to see, a victim of the Fire Nation. However whey they take a closer look and discover what he truly is, the reject him. He is shunned even before people get to know him properly. All they see is a firebending monster. They don't see the person beneath.

oxoxoxo

People expect too much of the boy. They think he is a god. They think that he can vanquish any evil that enters the world. But he can't. They expect him to be able to master the elements in only a few months. But he can't. They expect him to be strong. But he isn't. And every time he fails, he feels like crumbling because he knows that whenever he falls short, someone gets hurt.

oxoxoxo

The banished prince is supposed to capture the Avatar to return home. He tries so hard but his prize always dances just out of reach. Sometimes he feels like giving up because he knows in truth he is not wanted at home. Other times he forces himself not to quit or he will not get anywhere. But every time he struggles up he is struck back down by a harsh blow from fate. Life just isn't fair.

oxoxoxo

The monk wants things to return to the way things used to be. He wishes he was back home, where he belonged. But whenever he dreams of home, reality slaps him awake. He can't turn back the wheels of time. He can only move forward.

oxoxoxo

The fugitive remembers a time before he was banished when he was a prince. He remembers his mother and her tender touch and the sound of his father's laughter. When did it all change? He feels so confused. One minute he's home, prince of the Fire Nation, the next he's banished, struggling desperately to regain respect and now he's a fugitive with nowhere to go.

oxoxoxo

The boy recalls Monk Gyatso and his smiling face. They had many good times. The wizened monk taught him everything he knew. The boy doesn't know where he would be with Monk Gyatso's guidance. Gyatso was a teacher, a friend and a father. Gyatso tried to protect him but the he ran away. The boy betrayed his mentor and left him to bleed. For that, the boy will never forgive himself.

oxoxoxo

Uncle Iroh raised the banished prince like a son. The fugitive will treasure that fact for all eternity even if he doesn't show it. Uncle stood by him through sun and snow and is still there by his side. But for how much longer the fugitive doesn't know. For Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation alike are out for his blood. He is being chased by those who he trusted and enemies he has never seen. He doesn't know how much longer they can continue to flee.

oxoxoxo

Everyone is on the hunt for the monk and his friends. Evading his enemies is easy but he dreads the day when his luck might run out. He doesn't want his friends to be hurt because of him. His friends mean everything to him. Without them he probably would have given up living long ago. But even though he loves them, they don't understand him, not completely. They don't care about the loss of Appa. All the care about is themselves. He even feels that they don't even care about him.

oxoxoxo

The banished prince is constantly haunted by his broken family. He loves his father and he swears that he will remain loyal to the man forever but he will never forget the day his king branded him. His dreams are filled with blazing agony. It hurts so much he can't grasp the idea that his father doesn't want him. It hurts so much he can't tell truth from lies. Every time looks in the mirror or sees his reflection in a puddle, his scar burns. He can't escape the pain. It constantly wracks mind but he is unable to hide from. Yet, he doesn't hide the scar; he wouldn't even if he could. It's a symbol to him. He made a mistake he mustn't forget. He swears he will learn from it and not make the same one again.

oxoxoxo

At times they feel the burden of life is too immense. They feel they are drowning in the torrents of fate. When they see a carefree child run by, or a happy couple dance under the moonlit sky, they wish; 'Why couldn't that be me. Why can't I me normal?'

The monk grips his staff until his knuckles turn white and the weapon feels like it will splinter in his grasp. The banished prince clenches his fist until his nails tear open his skin and blood trickles down his palm.

With a haunting cry of fury the boy leaps up and slams the staff on the ground causing a typhoon to strip the leaves off the trees. The skeletons of the trees look lonely, bare and broken. The monk feels the same.

The barren atmosphere is pierced by a roar of anger that would chill even the Devil himself. Flames flare upwards as the fugitive lashes out at an invisible demon and a burst fire is unleashed into the infinite sky. The banished prince sinks to his knees suddenly exhausted and watches as the fireball dissipates into nothing.

And together they mutter the same words to the monster named fate; 'No-one knows what it's like to be me.'

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Well I'm glad to get that off my chest. Basically Aang and Zuko having a rather angsty moment. Inspired by how Aang was like in _the Desert _and that spaz fit Zuko had in _Bitter Work _and how alike they really are.

I like reviews :D


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